Recently, former U.S. Representative Heather Wilson became the first candidate in the New Mexico U.S. Senate race to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Currently, the Republican primary field consists of two officially announced candidates: New Mexico businessman Greg Sowards, and Heather Wilson. U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich is the only Democrat who has officially announced his bid for the seat.

Current incumbent Jeff Bingaman has already announced he will not seek re-election, setting the stage for a contentious battle for the open seat. Wilson, who represented New Mexico’s 1^st Congressional District for over a decade, will attempt her second run for U.S. Senate after a primary defeat in 2008.

While the state tilted slightly Democratic in the 2006 and 2008 Senate elections, 2010 showed a possible trend toward Republicans with the election of Gov. Susana Martinez by a 53-47% margin and a pick-up in the House with the election of Steve Pearce.

By signing the Pledge, Wilson commits to the taxpayers of New Mexico that she will “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

New Mexico Senate Candidate Heather Wilson Signs the Taxpayer Protection Pledge

WASHINGTON, DC— Former Rep. Heather Wilson has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in her race for New Mexico’s U.S. Senate seat. The Pledge, sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), commits signers to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates."

ATR has offered the Pledge to all candidates for federal office since 1987. To date, 41 U.S. Senators and 237 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed the Pledge. Additionally, thirteen governors and over 1,200 state legislators have signed the Pledge.

“I want to congratulate Mrs. Wilson for taking the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The American people clearly showed their displeasure in November with the tax-and-spend policies coming from Washington. They want real solutions that create jobs and cut government spending,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.

“By signing the Pledge, Heather Wilson demonstrates that she understands the problems of hard-working taxpayers nationwide, but especially the taxpayers of New Mexico.”

“I challenge all candidates for federal office to make the same commitment to taxpayers by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today,” Norquist continued.

[printable PDF of the press release]